James Park — Attraction in Evanston Township

In my opinion, this is one of the better playgrounds in the area for families with kids. It has everything you’d want—a fun slide, swings that feel safe and sturdy, and monkey bars that keep the kids busy and active. The surface is soft, which helps ease my nerves a bit when the little ones are running around.

From my experience, the restrooms are clean and not too far from the play area, which is a lifesaver when you're with young kids who need to go at the last minute.

I also appreciate that the park is dog-friendly, but only if your dog is on a leash. There are signs posted everywhere about this, and in my opinion, it makes the park feel much safer and more respectful for everyone. I’ve brought my own dog a few times, and as long as we follow the leash rule, it’s been a peaceful experience.

The picnic area is another plus. I’ve sat there many times while the kids play—it’s shaded, has plenty of tables, and it just makes the whole visit feel more relaxing and complete.

In my opinion, Jamaican Day in Evanston, Illinois, is a wonderful celebration of unity, culture, and community. It felt like a big family picnic where everyone was welcome. The air was filled with lively reggae and dancehall music, people dancing, kids running around, and the smell of delicious food cooking. I found parking easy in the nearby lot, which made getting there stress-free. The event area felt very safe to me—families, couples, and friends all enjoying themselves without any tension. I decided to get food from one of the vendors. I ordered the three-piece jerk chicken wings, rum cake, fry plantains festival rolls steam bread fruit and in my opinion, they were very tasty. Service was slow but the lines where long—when I walked up, there were about 25 people ahead of me, so I waited long. The vendor staff were friendly and kept things moving. The atmosphere overall was vibrant and positive, and the location’s open layout outside in the park allowed space for music, dancing, and eating without feeling crowded. The only small downside for me was that I wish the lines had move faster, but that didn’t take away from the good time I had. I left feeling happy, full, and connected to a joyful...

It's a big park. The big feature is Mount Trashmore, which is mainly only used for sledding and infuriatingly athletic types who like using hills for exercise, but there are a couple interesting paths through the wooded parts on the south and west sides (there's a lot of litter and whatnot, the paths aren't long, but they're still fun and you can get an unobstructed view of some nice sunsets).

Also a big spot for youth sports (and has been forever, I played soccer and baseball there when I was a kid in the 90s), and also plays host to countless less formal baseball and soccer/football matches (there's a lot of open field and a good number of baseball diamonds). There are a few nice paved paths for people who are walking or jogging. It borders Dawes Elementary where they've got a neat little garden which is...

Had a 3 day tournament there for softball. Mostly 9 and 10 year old girls. In the evenings there was a group of riff raff smoking cheap pot and playing loud music across the street and right in the middle of the overflow parking for the tournament. Not cool at all around young kids... I had to park right by them Friday night and Saturday. They were there both days. Probably there Sunday evening after church too... I heard multiple people complaining about it Saturday morning and Sunday as well. Terrible look for Evanston.

Facility was pretty nice. The fields were well maintained and the restrooms were way better than...